Gas cock handle



Dec. 20, 194-9 H. E. MILLS 2,491,999

GAS COCK HANDLE Filed June so, i947 I1E=E 1N VEN TOR. HERBERT E. MILLS QTTORNEV Patented Dec. 20, 1949 GAS COCK HANDLE Herbert E. Mills, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Mills Engineering Company, Detroit, Mich., a partnership composed of Herbert I. Mills, and Lela; BL Mills E. Mills, Vernon Application June 30, 1947, ser al No 757,991

This invention relates to handles employed in operating control shafts for valves or other devices and has particular relation to a handle for controlling gas cocks such as are employed on F domestic stoves or ranges.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, effective and inexpensive handle for operating a shaft of any kind and one which can be removed easily and replaced any number of times without injuring the handle or the shaft, thus rendering the handle or the shaft defective and unsuitable for further use.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings of which there is one sheet which by way of illustration show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles.

lent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims. different features of my invention, certain ones thereof may be advantageously employed in some applications separate and apart from the remainder of the features.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a gas cock having secured to the shaft thereof a handle embracing the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the handle and the gas cock shaft as these two elements would appear in assembled position in the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the gas cock shaft and handle disclosed by Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the gas cock handle illustrated in the preceding figures and as the latter would appear in the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the structure disclosed by Fig. l, the numeral indicates a gas cook of a type now generally employed on gas stoves or ranges, many of which are employed in homes. The numeral N indicates a shaft by which the gas cock I!) is operated, and i2 indicates a handle employed in operating the shaft H.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the handle 12 comprises a backing plate or element l3 provided with an opening i5 having a shape comparable to the cross sectional configuration Other embodiments of the invention embodying the sam or equiva- I also contemplate that of the several -2 Claims. (01, 287- 53) 7 lines, as [may be seen from Fig.4.

of the end 14 of the shaft is which is adapted to .be inserted in the. handle it. The end M of the shaft II is "provided with a notch indicated at 46 formed by a planular surface ll .cut into the end of the shaft in parallel relation'to the axis thereof and a planular surface formed transversely between this surface and the periphery of the shaft. The opening 1 5 therefore comprises an arcuate upper portion l9 and a lower rectilinear or flat portion 2|.

The vupper surface of the plate I3 is notched as is indicated at 22 to provide a blank 23 indicated by dot and dash lines at the ends thereof in Fig. 4. The opposite or lower edge of the backing plate 13 is also notched at 234 to provide a blank 26 indicated at the ends by dot and dash The blanks 2-3 and 26 are bent laterally inwardly to provide wings indicated at 2! and 28. The depth of the notches 22 is greater than the distance from the upper edge of the plate [3 to the adjacent edge of. the opening l5 and consequently the wing 21 is formed with an arcuate central portion pro viding a guideway 29 which forms the middle portion of the wing 2'! connecting the two ends thereof around the opening l5. The depth of the notches 24 is such that the wing ill at the axis of rotation thereof extends in parallel relation to and just beneath the fiat portion 2| of the opening I 5. Beyond the axis of rotation of the wing 28, the wing extends inwardly at an acute angle with respect to a plane normal to the surface of the backing plate is, the angle of deflection of the wing 28 being such that the inner end of the wing extends inwardly toward the center of the opening Is.

The plate 13 is formed of such material and is heat treated in such manner that the wing 25 provides a leaf spring extending inwardly from the edge 2| of the opening l 5 in such manher as to be capable of rotation about the axis thereof where the wing 28 joins the remainder of the plate l3, to be compressed against the flat surface I! of the shaft II when the shaft is inserted in the opening [5.

An operating member 39 for the handle I2 may be formed of sheet metal, plastic or other suitable material and may be made in any desired shape, although preferably the member is formed as a stamping in such manner as to surround the wings 2i and 28 and the end it of the shaft II when the end M is inserted in the opening l5. In order to secure the operating member 30 to the backing plate I3, the rear edge of the operating plate is provided with a peripheral groove or seat 29' beyond which flanges 3| may be bent inwardly around the rear surface of the backing plate I3 to hold the latter securely in position within the operating member.

The wings 21 and 28 cooperate to provide a socket beyond the opening IQ for the purpose of receiving the end M of the shaft H when it is desired to place the handle in operative position upon the shaft.

To so position the handle it is necessary merely to grasp the operating member 30 and to push the end of the shaft l4 within the socket formed by the wings 21 and 28 with the flat surface H of the shaft opposite the wing 28. As the handle moves'into position the wing 28is compressed against the surface H, such compression causing the wing 28 to rotate away from the center of the shaft l 1 until the wing and the surface are in parallel relation; To remove the handle from the shaft the operating member 30 is again grasped and pulled outwardly, and as the wing 28 passes beyond the end of the surface I! the wing again rotates about its axis of rotation in such manner as to extend inwardly of the opening 15 at a slight angle.

It will be apparent that the operating member 12 contains all of the essential features of the handle necessary to maintain the handle in position upon the shaft l I and that the shaft 1 l contains none of such features other than the notch IS. The handle therefore may beconsidered as an expendable part of the gas cock mechanism, whereas the shaft constitutes a part of the gas cock mechanism which cannot easily be replaced. In the event anything goes wrong with the handle or the handle may wear out and may not function properly, the only thing necessary to do is simply to put on a new handle and then the gas cook mechanism will function as well as when new.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gas cook handle comprising a backing plate and an operating member therefor, said backing plate being provided with an opening therein for receiving a gas cock shaft, said shaft being provided with a longitudinally disposed notch formed therein, said notch having a plane surface in parallel and a plane surface in transverse in relation to the axis of said shaft, said backing plate being blanked and folded to provide laterally extending wings disposed on opposite sides of said opening, said wings extending inwardly from said opening, one of said wings being arcuate in cross section to conform to the shape of said shaft and forming a guideway therefor, the other of said wings forming a spring having an axis of rotation adjacent and parallel to the intersection of said parallel and transverse surfaces of said notch when said handle is in operative position on said shaft, said spring being engageable with said parallel surface of said notch for compressing said shaft Within said guideway.

2. A gas cook handle as defined in claim 1 in which said operating member is secured to and supported by said backing plate around the edges thereof for covering said backing plate and the end of said shaft when the latter is inserted in said handle.

HERBERT E. MILLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 859,200 Clark July 9, 1907 1,169,408 Larson Jan. 25, 1916 1,954,062 Walter Apr. 10, 1934 2,082,566 vBerndt June 1, 1937 2,200,999 Sholes May 14, 1940 2,251,936 Heftler Aug. 12, 1941 

